Weekly Reporter: Marissa Surmenkow

[Marissa Surmenkow is the Agency Director for Passport Model Management in California, originally established in 2003. Prior to joining Passport in August 2008, she was the head of scouting at Elite Model Management in Chicago for five years. With over a decade in the modeling industry, Marissa has scouted and worked with many of the top faces in the industry.]

What does your agency typically look for in models?

Women for high-fashion. Sizes and ages range from about 5'7'-5'11 and 13-28.

How important is development in a model's career?

Preparation is key, and this industry is no exception.

What has your experience been like working with Nijah/New Faces Development?

I adore Nijah/New Faces Development. I've worked with them for 6 1/2 years, and they're wonderful to deal with. They really take the time to educate the talent, and nurture the talent so that when they get to big events like the IMTA, it seems like the girls are not overwhelmed. They're fully prepared and they look fantastic on the runway.

What are your thoughts of the Nijah/New Faces Development talent pool?

It's a great pool of talent. They always scout girls that have a real opportunity at having a career in this industry.

What events did you attend when you were at the IMTA? What were your thoughts?

I was able to attend the “Runway & Print” events. Nijah/New Faces Development had a great group this year. I've seen some really strong talent that fit with what my agency is looking for.

How does Nijah/New Faces Development around affect your job as an agent?

Well, it just makes my job a lot easier. It's a tough job to find and sort through all the talent out there, and sometimes there are strong talent that just hasn't been developed enough yet to book well.

My job becomes easier because we usually expect the Nijah/New Faces Development models to be perfect.